Lake Turkana fish traders feel heat of DRC Ebola attack

Lake Turkana fish business has been hit by an outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the main export market of fish from the region.

Traders under the five beach management units (BMUs) in Lake Turkana on Monday said they were incurring losses amounting to millions of shillings when some buyers pulled out after countries that border the DRC issued stringent health instructions to contain the spread of the disease.

“DRC has been our main external market for fish and the outbreak of Ebola virus in the country has impacted negatively on our businesses,” said John Loiritei Mame, chairman of Impressa group.

He said fish prices at the lake shore have dropped from Sh 200 to Sh 150 as fishmongers sell the produce at throw-away price in local market.
DR Congo last Friday confirmed the outbreak in the north of the country.

According to the authorities, three deaths have been reported among nine suspected cases of the virus since April 22.

Rwanda, Uganda, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and other African countries have heightened border surveillance following the Ebola attack.

Mr Mame said apart from DRC, South Sudan forms part of external market of fish from Lake Turkana while Nairobi and Kisumu are main local markets.

“Local traders are taking advantage of lack of our main market in DRC to exploit fishmongers by offering them low prices,” said Stephen Ekal Ekuwom, the group secretary.

Trade assessment report by Indian Ocean Commission indicates that DRC imports an average of 89,000 tonnes of fish mainly from Lake Turkana to meet its domestic consumption.

“Income generation from fish around Lake Turkana had increased from Sh12 million to Sh16 million while the production had improved from 31 tonnes to 35 tonnes in the past six months but lack of market might reverse the gains,” said Leah Napokol Epat, the group treasurer.

An average of 15,000kg of fish was transported to Nairobi and 6,000 to Kitale from Impressa beach alone.